The Insider Pick:

Everybody is talking about the Shhhower Cap. Reviewers and hair experts agree that it's worth the cost because it's effective and attractive, unlike the average shower cap.

If you're not an obsessive hair washer, there's a strong chance you have a shower cap (or two) tucked away in your bathroom. You simply can't beat them when you want to freshen up in the shower without starting from square one with your hair.

But shower caps aren't particularly fun to spend money on. They tend to be little more than glorified plastic bags — and they look like them, too. Luckily, we're experiencing something of a shower cap revolution. Some of the latest offerings are downright cool, and with innovative materials and designs, they're more effective than ever before.

Not all of these picks are stylish enough to wear outside, but they all stand out from the pack for their superior functionality. If style is your priority, there are options for you — no more looking like an extra from the sleepover scene in "Grease" when you hit the showers at the gym or in a dorm!

Read on in the slides below to check out our top picks.

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The best shower cap overall

Shhhower

Why you'll love it: The Shhhower Cap is cute, plus, it actually works better than your average drugstore cap, thanks to its smart design.

Want to feel like a glamorous Old Hollywood starlet in your shower cap? Well, that dream is about to become a reality. The Shhhower Cap is not only adorable, but incredibly effective. I promise that you won't be going back to the $1 drugstore caps you used to use anytime soon.

At $43, The Shhhower Cap is pricey, but it's really built to last. Made of waterproof antibacterial fabric, rather than typical plastic, it's machine washable and won't get moldy or mildew-covered as long as you care for it. Plus, it saves you money over time since you can keep washing it.

Sure, the gorgeous turban-inspired design and longevity are the major selling points, but the cap will also fit securely, lock out humidity, and minimize ambient noise (Does anyone else hate feeling like they are in the middle of a rainforest when they wear a plastic shower cap?).

Not convinced? The Shhhower Cap comes recommended by countless beauty editors, most notably at The Cut, Byrdie, Allure, Nylon, and the team here at Insider Picks. Guides editor Malarie Gokey uses hers on no-wash days when she wants to keep her hair dry to live another day.

Buyers love it, too — It has 104 reviews at Sephora and an overall 3.7-star rating out of 5.

"The fact that I'm writing a review about a shower cap of all things is proof that it must be one hell of a shower cap—and it is," writes Byrdie editor Faith Xue, "SHHHOWERCAP ($43) is not your grandma's frilly, floral, muffin-shaped style, nor does it feel or look like one."

Pros: Pretty silhouette, comes in fun patterns, machine washable

Cons: Might be too small for certain voluminous hair types and styles, pricey

The best shower cap for making a blowout last

Drybar

Why you'll love it: The folks at Drybar know a thing or two about blowouts, so it's no surprise that the brand's The Morning After Shower Cap is your best bet for making sleek styles last.

I love my naturally curly hair, but I still get a little thrill on the (very) rare occasion that I get it blown out. My temporarily straight hair always makes me feel like a completely different person.

If, like me, you prefer to extend the life of your blowout for as long as possible, The Morning After Shower Cap by Drybar is for you. It's lined with terry cloth that helps block out the humidity from your shower, and the oversized shape gives your strands plenty of room to breathe.

The Morning After Shower Cap looks more like a traditional shower cap you'd buy at the pharmacy, but the extra attention to detail makes it worth a few extra bucks. For example, the elastic that secures the cap on your head is lined with cotton to help you avoid those red angry lines.

Kathleen Hou at The Cut says that The Morning After Shower Cap is "so big that putting it on makes me look like Toad from Super Mario Brothers," but ultimately enjoys using it because "it's so large that it acts like a bubble hat following my blowout, so that none of the volume or waves get smushed."

Essence also named this one of its "10 Shower Caps That Are Cute Enough For Your Dorm Room," and the cap has 88 5-star reviews on Sephora site.

"I've tried so many different caps, headbands, etc to extend my hair when I've straightened it and when I found this shower cap I grabbed it and ran home stoked to try it. It's great!" says one fan.

The best inexpensive shower cap

The Betty Dain Fashionista Shower Cap is shaped a bit like a collapsed soufflé, but don't let it's vaguely comical silhouette fool you — It's just as good as the other options on this list if you're not looking to splurge but still want to take your shower cap game to the next level.

The mushroomy shape I mentioned earlier is actually part of the selling point for this cap — it's huge. If you have big curls, Afro-textured hair, braids, or an otherwise voluminous style, the Betty Dain Fashionista is large enough to accommodate your needs. Thanks to the nylon exterior, it's resistant to mold and mildew.

That said, it won't last forever, but at only $6.95, you won't wince when you have to pick up a new one.

Betty Dain Fashionista is the number one best-selling shower cap on Amazon, with a 4.2 rating based on 1,600 reviews. It also comes recommended by the website Naturally Curly, which named it one of "3 Shower Caps You Need to Know About." If there's such a thing as a "cult favorite" shower cap, this is it!

"This shower cap IS quality," writes one fan, "It's made of a nice fabric outer, and a thick plastic inner. There aren't any loose threads, weird seams, anything like that. It doesn't feel flimsy at all, and the plastic inside is sturdy, but not too rigid, sharp, or 'crunkly.'"

Pros: Inexpensive, oversized to accommodate lots of hair types, made of waterproof nylon and lined with "eco-friendly PEVA"

The best adjustable shower cap

Let's get one thing out of the way — the Satin Dream WaterProof Shower Cap is not the cutest shower cap in the world. It looks a bit like a garbage bag outfitted with a drawstring. But it works, and isn't that what really counts?

The cap is made from a material called EVA, which the brand says "is better for the environment and your health than plastic," and lined with satin for a luxe feel that also happens to cut down on frizz and prevent hair breakage.

And then there's the major selling point: a drawstring that allows you to customize the width of the cap. Choose from "small" and "large" sizes depending on your hair needs. If you find most shower caps either too large or too small, the Satin Dream WaterProof Shower Cap just might be the answer.

It's a hit with Amazon customers, earning a 4.5 rating based on 443 reviews. "I have long braids that will not fit in a regular shower cap at all," says one reviewer. "My braids are almost to the middle of my back. When I put them in a bun, still the regular shower caps don't fit. This one not only fit, but was adjustable and I could tell that it is very durable."

Pros: Adjustable, satin-lined, comes in multiple sizes, not made of plastic

Cons: Not as attractive as other styles on this list, has a huge logo on the top

The best shower cap you can wear outside

Why you'll love it: The Louvelle Shower Cap is ideal for those moments when you need to protect your strands when you're outside.

There's only one thing you really need to know about Louvelle Shower Caps: They're Oprah-approved. The "Dahlia" caps were featured in Oprah's Favorite Things for 2017. She loves them because they "have quick-dry fabric and a waterproof lining." I know, you're already placing an order as we speak.

Louvelle carries two shower cap styles, the "Amelie" and the "Dahlia." Both are lined with waterproof fabric and have slightly different gathered silhouettes that are so cute you may not want to take them off — even after you step out of the shower.

No, seriously, they are that pretty. As Ashley Weatherford at The Cut puts it, "You could wear this shower cap anywhere, and no one would be the wiser." Which makes these the ideal choice if you ever wear your shower cap in public, be it at the pool, in a dorm bathroom, or an outdoor shower on vacation.

The brand notes that you can also use its caps to hold your hair back when "applying and removing makeup and skin treatments," so feel free to bid foundation-covered bangs goodbye.

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